Colorado has taken a groundbreaking step: Governor Polis signed HB26-1229, "Supporting the Human-Animal Bond," into law. This bill formally recognizes the human-animal bond as a life-enhancing resource that improves the length and quality of human life, and allows Colorado's health disparities and community grant program to fund entities that support that bond.
For those who have followed the AlignCare journey-and perhaps wondered what's been happening-this is a direct product of that work. AlignCare began as research at the University of Tennessee. Now, as AlignCare Health Inc. (AHI), an independent 501(c)(3) organization, AHI serves as a platform driving pet family health equity by building the necessary systems-level infrastructure. Under Executive Director Anna Stout, HB26-1229 is a landmark outcome of these efforts.
This legislation is the first to place the human-animal bond within a social determinant of health framework at the state level. It is the result of evidence-based groundwork and requires strong relationships, precise language, and an understanding of public health systems. Anna and the AHI team are recognized for successfully completing this process.
AHI emerged from research at the Center for Pet Family Well-Being. This legislative milestone reflects One Health systems-level work uniting our efforts across the Summit, the Journal, and this Forum. The path from research to policy is long; HB26-1229 shows it is possible, and this community advances work that can move the needle.
Further developments will follow as this work progresses.
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Michael J Blackwell, DVM, MPH, FNAP
Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS (Ret.)
Director, Program for Pet Health Equity
Center for Behavioral Health Research
https://pphe.utk.edu------------------------------